The Unnecessary War

It was Churchill's contention that there existed 'sane elements in German life, particularly in High Command, to whom a firm stand against Germany by the democratic powers would have offered the chance to act against Hitler.' In a fascinating and absorbing account, using information from hitherto untrawled areas of the Foreign Office archives, as well as from other British, German and American sources, Patricia Meehan tells the story of the German resistance and the Allies' response to it. It is a tale of hurried journeys, secret meetings, smuggled documents; of intelligence rejected, warnings ignored and hopes dashed; of courage and desperation on one side and prejudice and inertia on the other.